I was out for a lovely walk with my sister, my 6 year old daughter and my bullmastiff who was muzzled as shes not keen on other dogs. We were walking round the local lake during the nice weather enjoying the sunshine when I noticed a man with 2 Jack Russells walking towards us. So knowing my dog was not keen on others I gathered her lead and stepped off the path to allow him to pass. What does he do? He sees my dog getting a bit wound up and gives his 2 a longer lead so they can get right up to mine yapping and bouncing around her. Well me and my sister were almost sitting on my dog at this point who is going totally mad at these 2 yappy things, and when I looked at their owners face I could see he was totally enjoying the chaos chuckling to himself. What an idiot, it frightened my daughter who now refuses to walk with me and the dog. It makes me so mad he would soon have moaned had mine squashed his 2. So I ask you all, why are a small minority of dog owners such pigs, they can make a nice walk turn into a nightmare why????

For the same reason a small minority of the population are thoughtless idiots I'm afraid.  But I have to say that someone who allows their dogs to behave in such an unsociable manner around a small child is the absolute pits.

Sadly there are as such people who own dogs as in the rest of society.  Sadly they let their dogs down all the time.

I am sorry your daughter has now been put off walking with you because of some thoughtless arrogant pig. Hope that she regains her confidence and enjoys walking again. We have a guy locally who had 1 very nasty GSD who chased dogs, which ever way you went he would follow, after it had attacked my young Goldie and frightened the living daylights out of her ( we still have problems now with her being very nervy but are making progress) a group of 11 of us got together, we complained to the dog wardens and police. He now has to keep the dog on a lead and muzzled when out. I was gobsmacked the other day when he appeared with a 6 month old GSD also, can see the same happening again. They are a flippin menace people like this.

Its so annoying I know my girl is not very sociable (its fear aggression) so I try my best to do whats right keeping her a small distance away helps loads. We were really making progress with her even had her playing with another dog un muzzled and now it seems we have taken a dozen steps back just because of an idiot like that. I think he saw two women walking a large powerful dog and thought he could have some fun. What a pig. Im glad Im not the only one that thinks his behaviour was unacceptable. Thanks all I feel better after a bit of a rant.

We were really making progress with her even had her playing with another dog un muzzled and now it seems we have taken a dozen steps back just because of an idiot like that. I think he saw two women walking a large powerful dog and thought he could have some fun.

Again I can totally sympathise.  My male became a target last year for another intact male who's owner decided that it really wasn't a problem and refused to try an keep his dog under control.  Eventually managed to get the owner sorted by the Dog Warden but it left my male terrier a lot less forgiving than he'd previously been.  Maybe you should have asked him to hold whilst you take the muzzle off - I bet good money he and his dogs would have cleared off quickly!

Maybe if you see him again you should say loudly "Oh, is snookims hungry, would you like a Jacky Snacky" and start fussing with her muzzle ;-)

What a creep! Show your daughter these messages so she understands that everyone else thinks it was him with the nasty dog.

Thats a good idea Lori. I havent seen him since but I will bear that in mind for next time My daughter loves our dog and we have done so much to try and get her socialised, she didnt even know what the lead was when we got her let alone what another dog looked like I just hope this dont have a lasting impression on her.

Indeed. Earlier this week, my wife and our 11 yr old daughter took our ETT puppy, Nemo, walking for the first time.  He was very excited but quite nervous.  We'd taken him to lots of places in recent weeks, although he stayed in our arms until Tuesday.  In the playing field behind our house, he saw a couple of small dogs loose and carefully went over to them.  He was quite respectful and not at all aggressive or over-bouncy!  Then a big brown lab came charging across from the other side of the field and started going for Nemo!  The owner (of all 3 dogs as it happens) made one perfunctory attempt at recall and when that failed just strolled in the opposite direction! The other dogs joined in and poor Nemo was terrified, running in and out of my wifes legs trying to get safe until she managed to pick him up.  My daughter says that she saw the lab get Nemo by the neck, although we can't see any marks.

My daughter was in tears, and since then poor Nemo has been *very* nervous when he's outside and whimpers when we head to the field or another dog comes near.  His socialisation classes don't start until next Wednesday and I'm dreading his reaction.

How terrible poor puppy. Im sure you will do just fine just stick with it thats what Im having to do.

He would have got a right mouthful from me!!!

A black lab mix had a grumble at my puppy and scared her (a dog that my older boy has grown up with so it was a surprise). I've made a point of asking people with black labs and black dogs in general if their dog was good with puppies, explained why and found loads of friendlies (owners and dogs) to help her understand he was a grump but not the norm. I hope your boy recovers from his bad experience.

Our dobe girl loves black labs, I don't know why, other than they are so OTT in play as youngsters. It's good to see them rough and tumble though frightening sometimes and my goodness, if you have a young pup that's not up to rough play, steer clear of them as they take no prisoners IME.

so true my male black lab,s 3 year,s 7 months so do not know if you would still call him a youngster is very ott even if a dog growl,s at him he still want,s to play he only know love as for pup,s he,s like a mother hen with them

The best way to deal with the unpleasant and stupid people who will occasionally cross your path is to remember that THEY have the problem, not you!

In our case, the chap who clearly has an entire village out looking for it's idiot, has a GSD who could, I suspect, have been a very nice dog were he not constantly yanked around on a chain lead and encouraged to have a go at every dog it meets. The first time we came across this unhappy pair, the owner had the gall to shout and scream "There'll be trouble if your dog has a pop at mine" while waving his fist at me. Fortunately I don't have a tiny pup but a confident small dog who looked at the GSD and its manic owner with what I can only describe as a "What are you LIKE?" expression as he walked past them ignoring the aggro!

What an idiot. It just makes walking your own dog a miserable experience when it should be enjoyable.